Mikel Arteta has ruled Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli out until April, meaning Arsenal will enter the Champions League last 16 without any of their first-choice front four. Saka has been missing since undergoing hamstring surgery in December and Martinelli has been absent since the start of February.

Arsenal’s title charge has faltered, and the absence of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli isn’t helping.Mikel Arteta offers a cautious update on their return as the Gunners desperately await

Mikel Arteta this week vowed to only give up on the title race “over my dead body”, but it is hard for Arsenal to do that when their attack shows no signs of life. Arsenal have failed to score in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since May 2023 after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham was followed up by a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.